Journey of a Thousand Steps
by DaughteroftheOneTrueKing
Summary: Newt must deal with some surprising information from a good friend.


**Hey guys! I am working on the next fic for QLFC, and it is for Round 11. I can't believe that the season's coming to an end pretty soon! This round is a spookily themed round for Halloween, and so we were all given a bit of media regarded as "horror" and had to use that as inspiration. I got the manga Uzumaki by Junji Ito. I don't know a whole lot more about it besides the fact that it is about a cursed town, but that was plenty to give me a great idea! Hope you all like it.**

 **Warning: I have no idea how the Maledictus progression goes because nothing is really known yet. As such, this may be completely overridden next month. Just a warning to anyone who might read this after that.**

 **Word Count: 1256**

Newt hadn't realized it at the time, but the time he spent with Josie Corner the fall of 1917 was a day he would never forget as long as he lived. It was, after all, the most challenging task he had ever undertaken at the time, and would not be surpassed for many years after.

Newt had met her while in school, and she was one of the few people he kept in contact with when he was expelled. She knew that he had been innocent of anything to do with the Jockey because she had been the student that was harmed. She couldn't understand why he did not want to expose Leta, but when he explained he didn't want her to be in trouble, she accepted it and allowed him to be expelled in the wake of her injury.

One afternoon, a crisp one that carried the hint of coming snow in the wind, they were both walking home together from work because they lived near each other. Josie had her cloak wrapped tightly around her to stave off the chill air, and they walked briskly along the streets.

Newt began to notice that she watched him when she thought he did not notice, almost as if she was trying to get the courage to tell him something. Eventually, they stopped in a small cafe to get something hot to drink and warm up a bit.

"Newt, there's something I need to tell you," she began as they sat down in a back corner, unnoticed by the other patrons with the same idea.

"I wondered if you would just say what was bothering you or if I'd have to prod you for answers," he said, smiling briefly. At her unamused expression, he continued. "Sorry, continue."

Josie took a small sip of her drink, doubt crossing her features as she did so. Newt wondered what could cause her such indecision.

"I'm a maledictus," she finally said. Immediately, she seemed a little more at ease, simply having the statement out there. Newt didn't respond for a moment, and she continued. "You don't believe me, do you?"

Newt shook his head. "I believe you, it's just that maledictus' are supposed to be extinct now. How did you…?" He stopped, not wanting to seem insensitive again.

"How did I receive the blood curse?" she finished his sentence with a wry sort of smile. "Not through genetics, if that's what you mean. I was cursed when I was a little girl. I don't remember it, and my mother died before she told me the full story. All I know is that an enemy of hers cursed me to make her suffer when I was four or so. The curse kicked in last year on my twentieth birthday. Now year by year I'll become more like the animal she cursed me to become. I don't quite know what it will be yet, but I know it has scales and claws."

Josie rolled up her sleeves to reveal half of her underarm covered in dark gray scales and fingers slowly darkening and thinning into claws.

"Oh my…" Newt was lost for words momentarily. "Do they hurt or anything?"

Josie shook her head. "No they don't hurt, but they itch like you wouldn't believe when I don't cast an Anti-itch Charm."

Newt slowly reached a hand towards the scaly skin. "May I?"

Josie nodded and smiled slightly. "You won't hurt me by touching it."

Newt studied the smooth scales as he moved his hand along her forearm. It was surreal, he kept thinking. Scales should not be on humans, and yet there was Josie, his best friend, with the scales to prove it. "Would it be tactless to say that they're beautiful?"

She shook her head as she leaned back and extricated her arm from his touch. "I'm cursed, Newt. Eventually, I'm going to be a wild animal and no one will want to be around me. If it's beautiful, it's an ugly version of it." Her tone was bitter, almost as if she'd had this argument with people before.

"I'm sorry, Josie," Newt said, twisting the ring he had gotten from Theseus when he went to war. It was a nervous habit that he'd developed over the year. For a few moments, they were silent as they took sips of their drinks. Then Newt managed to say what he now had on his mind. "You said that no one will want to be around you? What about your father?"

Josie gave a derisive snort as she spoke. "You're kidding, right? He's repulsed by having a reptile for a daughter. He told me never to darken his doorstep again when I decided to tell him."

Again Newt felt like he'd said the wrong thing. At least this time her anger didn't seem to be directed towards him. "I think this may get redundant, but I'm sorry." He realized it had to be a big deal for her to tell someone else after the response her father had. He didn't want to betray her trust in doing that. "Anyway, as I was saying, that's not true. I'll still help you if you need it. You'll always be my friend, no matter what you look like."

She smiled at his words, seeming genuinely comforted by the prospect of having one person to help her at least. He was glad of it. "Thank you, Newt. You don't know how much that truly means to me."

"I can imagine," he assured her.

* * *

Over the next two years, Josie slowly gained the scales, claws, and other characteristics of the creature she had been cursed to become. Eventually, it was obvious what it would be: a dragon. The tell was about a year and a half after, when wings began to grow off her shoulder blades. Eventually, she fully changed and was able to shift back and forth. This lasted for about another three years, during which she tried to transform as little as possible. It didn't really work, so she decided to find somewhere isolated to live.

During all this, Newt was with her. He helped her when the pain from the wings or other things got too much in the beginning and embraced her after she transformed back into human form and didn't know whether next time would be the final time she would ever be truly Josie Corner.

One day, Newt went to see her and found her place empty. All there was was a note.

 _Newt,_

 _I'm sorry to abandon you like this, but I feel it is right. I think that the transformation will be complete soon, and when that time comes, my mind will also be gone. I will forever be a dragon, and I don't want you to have to be shouldered with my burden. That is why I'm leaving and I will not return._

 _I hope you can forgive me. Thank you for your support these last five years. I will always remember it, I think, even when I have changed. Please do not look for me, promise me. This is my last request to you._

 _Thank you,_

 _Josie._

And Newt did not pursue her. This was her final human request, and he would honor it. He knew he could not shoulder her burden. He had tried that with Leta and it had failed. He had been glad to have helped when she had allowed it, and now it was time for her to move on.

It was time for him to move on as well.


End file.
